Opportunity
by RyeBreadQueen
Summary: In S1 E17, Jamie says during his junior year he goes to Europe, making him the first Reagan man to leave the country "without a gun." Thus story is about that trip and what happens over there. I'm open to prompts! NOW COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Alright folks here we are with an all new experience. The votes were split evenly between high school and college but I decided to do college, mainly because I think it would be more practical and missing school during your junior year of high school is a death sentence. Alright well this is just the first chapter, I'm hoping that since the school year is dying down I'll have more time on my hands to write. I'm still fairly new at this fanfiction thing so bear with me, and we'll go on this journey together**_ __ _ **. I hope you enjoy!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters**_ __

Chapter 1

Saturday May 7th, 2005

The rain was coming down averagely. It wasn't pouring, nor was it just drizzling, just your everyday rainfall. Jamie had always been mesmerized by the rain, ever since he was a little kid. While most people saw it as sad or depressing, he had always seen it as a sign of what was to come, the sunshine. As in, something good was going to happen.

The day hadn't been very interesting, as most Saturdays aren't, so Jamie had found himself sitting on the couch in his childhood home, staring out the window at the rain and the patterns it made on the panes of glass.

It was the end of his sophomore year of college at NYU. He just had to get through one more week, and then he was done until the end of August. One more week. The catch was, it was finals week. A week of nonstop testing and headaches and cramps in the hand that you write with. But he had been through it before and was fine, so he knew he'd be fine again.

Jamie knew he should be studying for his exams, but watching the rain was calming to him and it helped ease his worries. He knew that his grades had to be next to perfect if he wanted to get into a good law school after he graduated.

The rain continued to fall steadily, not picking up and not dying down either. However, there was a small speck of sunlight Jamie could see between the clouds. He loved this weather. When it was raining at a perfect pace, with some light still there so he could see, no thunder or lightning, just the rain. It was beautiful to stare at, and he sometimes got lost in thought, like today.

"Jamie, I'm going to wash the sheets tonight, so I'll be putting new ones on soon. If you could take your old ones off of your bed and put them on the floor that would be a nice way to help." Mary called from the kitchen.

"Alright mom! Will do." Jamie stood to go follow his mother's wishes. Funny, he'd been doing that quite a bit lately. As he stood, the mail truck pulled up in front of the house and the mail carrier quickly slid a wad of envelopes into the mail box so they wouldn't get wet from the rain.

"Hey mom? The mail just got here. I'll go get it then take off my sheets." Jamie said, walking towards the front door.

"Alright, but make sure to take an umbrella. There's one right next to the door." Mary replied.

Jamie picked up the umbrella once he reached the door and headed outside. He opened the umbrella and happily walked down the driveway to the mailbox, relishing the cool air and the familiar smell of a fresh rain. He was thankful there was no breeze to blow the water onto him and make him get wet.

As Jamie reached the mailbox, he hovered the umbrella over it so that nothing would get wet. Closing the mailbox, he held the umbrella upright by placing it in his arm pit and flipped through the various items. Bills, magazines, random political ads. He finally stopped on a letter with the Harvard seal. It was addressed to him.

Jamie had to make a double take. Yes, that was clearly his name printed on the front. Jamison Reagan, he spelled it out to make sure, and that was definitely his address, he knew that for sure. But why would Harvard be sending a letter to him? He quickly stuffed the letter in his pocket and headed back up to the house with the rest of the mail.

He set the umbrella on the front porch to dry and headed inside, setting the rest of the mail on the coffee table. Jamie quickly rushed upstairs to his room and closed the door as to not be disturbed. Nervously, he opened the envelope. Two things fell out, one was a pamphlet he didn't pay much attention to at the time. The other was a folded up piece of paper. He could clearly see there was text on the other side. Cautiously, Jamie unfolded the piece of paper and began reading.

Dear Jamison,

As you may know Harvard University is extremely well known for its superior law program. Because of that, we have a number of undergraduate programs for Pre-Law students like yourself. One you're likely familiar with is our Law Abroad program in which we select 20 students from within a certain radius to go to Europe for a month and study how the law works in other countries. The students get to sit in on court sessions and more. Generally, we only select students who have applied to the program, but that was before you were brought to our attention. We have become aware of your stellar performance so far in your program and would like to formally invite you to accompany us on our trip to Europe this September on a full scholarship. There is more information about the program in the pamphlet that we have placed in your envelope. We would like you to come in for an interview, so if you're interested in learning more and possibly setting up your trip send an email to the address on the contact page in the pamphlet. We hope to see you joining us.

Sincerely, Joan Davis Director of Undergrad Programs

"Whoa." Was all Jamie could say as he read the letter over and over again. He picked up the pamphlet and flipped through it curiously, interested in learning more. Europe? For an entire month?

Jamie wasn't sure what to think, he wasn't sure of anything for that matter. It was a great opportunity sure, and it would almost guarantee and acceptance to Harvard in the next year or so, but was that really what he wanted to do? If he wanted to get out of law, this would be the time to do so. But an opportunity like this, even if he were to drop the lawyer business and become a cop it would still be a pretty valuable experience for him to have.

Jamie was torn. On one hand he knew this was an amazing experience and to pass it up would probably be incredibly stupid. But on the other side he knew that doing this would nearly solidify his family's ideas of him being a lawyer instead of a cop. And he'd also be gone for a solid month, which he had never done before. In fact, no Reagan man had left the country previously without carrying a gun and going to serve his country. What would doing this make him? A disgrace? It was possible.

With his niece and nephews growing every day, he knew him leaving, even for as short a period of a month, he could miss many important events in their lifetime, and it might even create a gap in the close relationship he has with the three of them. Sighing, Jamie stuck the letter and pamphlet back in the envelope and stuffed it in his sheets, where he was sure nobody would find it.

Jamie glanced out the window and realized it had stopped raining. He needed to walk, go outside and just walk for a while. He knew it would help clear his head. So he got up and went downstairs, completely forgetting that he was supposed to change his sheets so his mother could clean the ones on his bed.

As he reached the door, he quickly opened it and called "I'm going for a walk mom!" and he left before Mary could offer up any protests to him going out in this weather.

xxBBxx

Mary sighed and went upstairs, wanting to gather everything so he could start taking care of the laundry. As she reached Jamie's room and opened the door she sighed yet again. "Oh Jamison" She muttered, seeing that he had neglected to take the sheets off of his bed.

Mary smiled and started doing it for him, when an envelope fell to the floor. Frowning, Mary picked it up and gasped when she saw who it was addressed both to and from. Sitting down on her son's bed, she opened up the envelope and took the letter and pamphlet out, and began reading.

"Whoa." Was all she could say. Pride swelled throughout her for her youngest. She knew that her son was smart and could achieve anything he set his mind to, but she had never expected this. Her youngest had been working so hard, and finally all of his work paid off. This greatly heightened his chances of getting into Harvard and becoming a real lawyer, keeping him safely away from the family business.

Mary stuffed the letter and the pamphlet back into the envelope before clutching it close to her chest. She'd have to talk to Frank about this in the morning and maybe bring it up at Sunday dinner the next day. She then took Jamie's sheets off and left with the letter, almost as if nothing happened.

xxBBxx

When Jamie returned from his walk half an hour later, he still had no clear idea of what to do. The list of pros and cons remained fairly even, and Jamie frankly was stuck. He figured he'd talk to Joe about it tomorrow after Sunday dinner, knowing that Joe would both keep it a secret and offer some good guidance to push in in the right direction.

Sighing, Jamie went up to his room and froze when he saw his sheets had been changed. The letter. He pulled up his sheets and looked everywhere, but the envelope had gone. He silently cursed himself for forgetting to change his sheets and cursed the letter for making him do so.

That night at dinner he was oddly silent, as well as his mother, but nothing was mentioned as to why. Jamie knew his mother had found the letter and was hoping that she would confront him about it first before going to talk to everyone else. But he knew that wasn't likely. If there was anything Jamie had learned about his family over the years, it was that they were incredibly meddling and would never stop until they got what they wanted.

As he laid in bed that night, Jamie was finding it incredibly difficult to fall asleep. Thoughts of the letter tortured his mind, making him restless. He was afraid that his mother would bring it up to somebody, or even worse, bring it up and Sunday dinner where he would be resigned to feeling all of the intensive looks from his family members, especially those disappointed with him for going into law.

When Jamie finally drifted off to sleep that night, it was a restless one. And it probably would be restless until he made a decision.

 _ **Author's Note: So here we are at the end of the first chapter. I really hope you enjoyed it. I am not going to be doing a set update schedule because my schedule changes, so it will be whenever I finish a chapter. Alright, until next time my lovelies.**_

 _ **What's Next: Next up Mary talks to Frank about the letter that she found in Jamie's bed as well as a very entertaining Sunday dinner, which ends up making Jamie upset and stressed.**_


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Hey guys. I'm so pleased with the feedback from the first chapter, I love that you guys are enjoying it. In honor of you guys liking it so much, I am opening this story up to prompts, so anything you want to see me write for this story or anything you want to see happen to him while he's in Europe, just shoot me a PM or just suggest it as a review! I'll take all ideas into consideration and keep in mind he'll be there for an entire month, so that leaves a lot of room for your ideas.

Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters, except and OC's introduced later in the story.

Sunday May 6th, 2005

When Mary awoke the next morning she checked to make sure Jamie was still in bed before heading back to the master bedroom to grab the letter. It was still fairly early, but Frank was already up, so she knew that she would be able to talk to him before Jamie came downstairs.

Once she had grabbed the letter, Mary headed downstairs to find her husband reading the Sunday paper in his chair. Frank smiled "Good morning Mary."

Mary walked over to him and pecked his lips lightly "Morning Frank. There's something I think you need to see." She pulled out the envelope and showed it to him, making sure he saw the Harvard logo before handing it to him.

"What's this? It's addressed to Jamie."

"I know. I found it in his bed yesterday when I was changing the sheets. Just open it up and read." She said excitedly.

Frank pulled the letter and the pamphlet out of the envelope and started reading, his expression unchanging as his eyes moved along each line with ease. "This is impressive." He said when he had finally finished the letter and began flipping through the pamphlet.

"Have you asked him about it yet?" Asked Frank once he finished and set everything on his lap.

"No, but I figured I could bring it up at dinner tonight. I think that would be nice."

"Are you sure? He may not be ready for everyone to know just yet, he might want some time first." Frank said cautiously.

"Time for what? Oh come on, I think it would be nice to show Jamie that we are proud of him and will love and support him in this." Mary said.

"Alright. But Mary, I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Don't worry Frank, everything will be alright. If he's not up soon though, I'll have to go get him up so we're not late for church." Mary smiled.

"Let him sleep in Mary. He's probably having a rough time going over this in his head. He deserves the chance to sleep in, he's been stressed over finals lately." Frank said

"Are you sure?"

"Mary, he's almost never missed mass, not even that time he had that bout of laryngitis last year. I think god will forgive him for missing church one time."

xxBBxx

Jamie awoke to the sun shining harshly on his face. He rolled over and checked his clock. 9:48. He couldn't believe he had slept so late, but at the same time he knew why. It was due to his not being able to fall asleep last night, and once he finally did, it was fairly restless.

He frowned when he realized it was Sunday. He should be at church right now, with his family. But his mom had neglected to wake him up. Don't get him wrong, he knew he needed the sleep, but at the same time he hated missing church. He wondered if he'd be able to go if he decided to take the trip to Europe. Another thing to add on the list of considerations.

Jamie was absolutely terrified to go downstairs, and even more worried about today's Sunday dinner. He knew that somebody had found his letter, and if the past and family reputations proved true, it would likely be brought up at the dinner table. He wondered if he could just claim he wasn't feeling well and skip dinner that night.

Sighing, he forced himself to get out of bed and head downstairs, finding the house empty. They must have gone to church. They'd get out in ten minutes though, and then the whole family would be coming over. Hopefully, nobody would bring anything up at dinner and he'd get a chance to talk to Joe about his predicament before his bother left.

Jamie decided it was best to try and eat something, thinking maybe it would calm his nerves. So he grabbed a piece of toast and some milk before heading back upstairs to get ready before his family showed up.

xxBBxx

Frank and Mary had showed up at mass just before church started, leaving no time for anybody to ask any questions. Joe, Erin and Danny had all immediately looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Their parents were never late, and Jamie never missed mass. Once each realized nobody had the answers, all three shrugged and went back to paying attention to the mass.

After mass was over, the entire family gathered outside. The first one to say anything was eight year old Nicki, who was looking around and frowning. "Grandpa, where's Uncle Jamie?"

"I was wondering that myself dad." Said Erin, concerned.

"Jamie was still asleep. He's been running himself ragged studying for finals this past week, and he's been so exhausted, so we decided it would be best to let him stay home to get some rest." Said Frank.

"Is he alright? I haven't talked to him much this week, I've been so busy. I've been meaning to check up on him though." Said Joe, concern in his voice.

"He's fine honey, just tired. I'm sure once he finishes his exams and gets anything else situated, he'll be fine." Said Mary, who got a look from Frank in response letting her know that now was not the time to bring up the letter. He still thought it would be better to talk to Jamie about it first, but he wasn't about to argue with his wife.

"He's probably up by now. I'm sure he'd love to see you three." Mary said to her grandchildren, who were all very excited. "And you three as well." She addressed Joe, Danny and Erin.

"Let's get going then. We can't leave the kid alone for long." Smirked Danny, who started ushering his two boys, at five and three, along with his wife to the car.

Frank chuckled and looked at Mary "What are we going to do with him?"

xxBBxx

Jamie was sitting on the living room couch, staring out the window as he had been doing the day before when people first started arriving. His parents came back first, and were awkwardly quiet, only saying things like "How did you sleep?" and "everyone missed you at church." He knew why this was, his mother must have told his dad what she had found, but what bothered him is that they weren't bringing it up.

Mary seemed about ready to burst at the seams from excitement, which became clear to Jamie after he walked in the kitchen to put his glad in the dishwasher and was met with a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. Yup, they were going to bring it up at family dinner.

Any chance Jamie had to confront them and ask them not to mention anything was ruined by the arrival of his oldest brother and his family. Jack came in first, Sean toddling not far behind, and Jamie smiled when two small voices chorused "Hi Uncle Jamie!"

He turned around and pulled his nephews into a hug. "Hey there little ones, how you guys doing?"

"Good" They both said together happily. Linda was next, who gave Jamie a kiss on the cheek before trying to corral her boys. Danny simply gave him a hello and a pat on the back before going in the kitchen.

As the rest of his family started to arrive, Jamie watched as they all interacted with each other and smiled. He couldn't help but wonder how he'd add to this family one day. He could just imagine, a beautiful woman who wasn't afraid of his family playing with and taking care of their kids while hanging out with the rest of his family on Sundays. Jamie knew that wasn't in the near future, but it was still nice to think about.

Jamie came out of his daydreaming when he felt someone sit next to him.

"Hey brother." Said Joe, who put his arm around Jamie's shoulders.

Jamie smiled "Hey Joe."

"How are you doing? Mom and Dad said you weren't too hot?"

"Just tired I guess, from studying and uh…never mind."

"Sorry. I meant to check up on you this week, but there's a bug going around my precinct so I've had to pull a few extra tours."

"It's alright Joe. Listen there's something I want to talk to you about, can you stick around for a bit after dinner?" Asked Jamie nervously, refusing to look in his brother's direction.

"Of course kid, anything you need. Is it anything I need to be worried about? You know you can talk to me kid."

"No, nothing's wrong. It's just about something I found out yesterday. I want your input." Smiled Jamie, trying to reassure Joe.

"Alright. Then yeah, we'll talk after dinner. Take care of yourself. I know you want to do well on these exams, but don't murder yourself while doing so alright?"

"Yeah, I got it Joe."

Joe smiled. "Good. I'll go see if the women need any help in the kitchen." He have Jamie a light pat on the shoulder before getting up and heading into the kitchen.

Once again, Jamie sighed and leaned back on the couch, pondering what he was going to do if his parents did bring it up and the reactions from his family were extreme.

xxBBxx

"Dinner's ready!" Came the call from the dining room a few hours later. Jamie had spent most of the time playing with his niece and nephews, whose parents were more than happy to get the little ones off of their hands for a bit, but Jamie enjoyed spending time with them.

Jamie was the first one to the table, hungry since all he had eaten all day had been a wimpy piece of toast. The rest of the family soon joined him, everyone in their usual spots.

"Jamie, why don't you say grace today?" Asked his mother. Jamie looked up at her and nodded.

"Bless us oh lord through these thy gifts which we are about to receive. Through thy bounty through Christ our lord, amen." Jamie spoke quietly, and everyone made the sign of the cross. Then everyone began eating.

It wasn't hard for anyone to notice that both Mary and Jamie had been pretty much silent throughout the meal. They both only spoke when directly spoken to or asked a question.

"Everything alright with you kid?" Asked Danny, who looked at his baby brother from across the table.

"What? Oh yeah, yeah everything's fine, just distracted." Said Jamie, trying not to draw too much attention to himself.

Danny shrugged and continued talking about his case. A body of a man had turned up inside of a random car in the middle of the night. The case was on a dead end, since their only suspect, the wife, was confirmed to be with friends in Europe for the week.

"Speaking of Europe." Said Mary, causing Jamie to immediately tense up. "Jamie?" She said, wondering if he wanted to continue.

"Go ahead. You've already opened the can." He sighed, frowning down at his plate.

"Jamie got into this program with Harvard, it's something like Law Abroad." Said Mary, and immediately both Erin and her husband gasped.

"Whoa. Jamie how'd you get in? Both Jack and I applied, me twice and I never made it." Said Erin excitedly

"Yeah and why didn't you tell us you applied? We both would have been happy to help you." Said Jack, causing Danny to roll his eyes.

"Because I didn't apply" Grumbled Jamie, who refused to look up.

"What do you mean kid?" Asked Henry.

"No, he didn't apply. They invited him. Under full scholarship too." Said Mary, who put an emphasis on the words 'invited' and 'scholarship.'

"Wow Jamers, that's amazing. What exactly is it?"

Jack then took over to explain. "Basically, Harvard selects 20 students from the area and sends them on a trip to Europe or one month to study abroad and help them learn about the law in a more practical, experience based way instead of sitting in a classroom."

"About 90% of those who get in are accepted into Harvard. And most of them become extremely successful after graduation. Statistically they have a better chance of passing the bar also." Added Erin.

"That's awesome. Good for you Jamie." Said Linda smiling.

"Wait, so you're going to be gone for an entire month?" Asked Danny, who was shocked and what appeared to be slightly upset at the same time.

"No, well I don't know. At least not yet. I mean I just got the letter yesterday, I haven't exactly had much time to think about everything yet." Said Jamie, slightly annoyed that everyone automatically assumed he was going to go.

"What's to think about, it's an amazing opportunity?" Said Jack.

"I know I just. Never mind. Let's just change the subject." Said Jamie, who was clearly frustrated. Everyone agreed in silence. The rest of family dinner passed tensely.

xxBBxx

After Danny and Erin had left with their families, Joe had found Jamie in his room, reading over the letter and the pamphlet he had found on his mother's dresser. "Hey, kid. You still want to talk?"

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, this is a hard decision. "

"You don't have to go if you don't want to Jamie." Joe said, sitting down and putting his arm around his lost little brother.

"Nobody's making me go, but if I don't everyone will be disappointed in me. I don't want to do that, especially not to mom. You saw how excited she was."

"Yeah. But nobody will be disappointed, sad to see you didn't take the opportunity, but we could never be disappointed in you. I'm so proud of you Jamie, and don't forget that. You have to decide for yourself, if this the direction you really want to go?"

Jamie looked to Joe and frowned. "You already know the answer to that Joe."

"It's not too late to become a cop kid."

"I can't do that to mom Joe, I just can't."

Joe sighed. "Alright. But think about it. Even if you don't stick with the law, this could still help you in other ways."

"I guess you're right." Said Jamie.

"I know I am kid. Aren't I always? Hey, I've got an early tour tomorrow. Good luck on your exams kid." Joe ruffled his brother's hair before leaving.

Jamie meanwhile, sat on his bed for a bit, pondering the conversation he had with Joe. Sighing, he got up and went downstairs to find his mother. He knew he needed to get something off of his chest.

xxBBxx

Mary was finishing up wiping off the counters when Jamie came into the kitchen. "Hey there Jamie-"

"You couldn't have waited?" Jamie interrupted her. When he saw that his mother looed taken aback, he sighed. "Sorry. I just… why didn't you talk to me first mom?"

"I just thought you'd want everyone to know we supported you." Mary put the towel down before walking over to her youngest.

"I didn't want anyone to know until I made a decision." Frowned Jamie.

"What do you mean, make a decision? What reason is there not to go?"

"I have personal things that I need to take into consideration before a make a final decision on whether or not to go mom. Yes, I know it's an amazing opportunity but it may not be what I want." Said Jamie, feeling his temper building but refusing to let it take control of him.

"Jamison, what do you mean what you want? I thought this is what we wanted. Both you and me, for you?"

"Just, never mind mom. I just wish you would have talked to me first. I'm going to bed, I've got finals. Goodnight mom." And with that, he left a stunned Mary in the kitchen.

Author's Note: There's chapter 2. I hope you guys liked it. Don't forget to review and offer any ideas or prompts that you have.

What's next: Jamie finally makes a decision on what to do after a conversation with someone unexpected, and goes for an interview. Until next time my lovelies.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: Hey guys! I got another chapter here today, I love the ideas you guys have been suggesting but it's not enough to fill up an entire month. I do promise that it will never be longer than a week between updates. I hope it will never be that long and since I get out of school soon I'm praying it won't be too bad. On another note I screwed up the date last chapter, it was supposed to be May 8**_ _ **th**_ _ **, I'm looking up the actual dates for this. Alright, here goes nothing I suppose.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters.**_

 _ **Chapter 3**_

 _ **Friday May 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2005**_

Jamie Reagan stared down at his test paper, his frustration building. It was his last final exam of the year, and while he was thankful to almost be done, it wasn't cause for celebration. His other exams this week had gone pretty well, and he knew he had aced them, but today he was distracted.

His distraction was mainly due to the fact that the people from Harvard needed an answer from him by Sunday, two days away. Which was why he was having quite a bit of trouble taking this last exam. He had studied this material for days, hours on end, and knew he could recite it from the textbook any other time but now. His mind was blank, and considering he had never failed anything in his entire life, it freaked him out.

When the professor called time, Jamie's mind went into panic mode. But he tried to relax and remembered he had to be at the house right after he left, as the family was getting together for Frank and Mary's anniversary. He hoped the light-heartedness of the day would keep him calm throughout his exam, but it hadn't seemed to work.

One by one, the students began filing up to their instructor's desk to hand in their papers, him giving a small smile to each one of them as they laid their papers in a pile. Once Jamie reached the front and set his only halfway done exam down on the desk, his professor looked up at him.

"Jamie. Could you stay for a bit after class? There's something I want to talk to you about." Said Professor Allen, who slipped Jamie's paper out of the pile.

"Uh yeah, let me just call my family and let them know I'll be a little late." Said Jamie, and slipped outside to call his father.

xxBBxx

Frank came back into the living room, hanging up his phone. "That was Jamie. He said he'd be late for dinner."

"Did he say why?" Asked Erin.

Frank shrugged. "He said that his professor wanted to speak with him, so he needed to stay for a bit, but he didn't say why."

"Oh no. You don't think he's in trouble do you?" Said Mary

"Oh come on mom. Jamie? In his 12 years of school did he ever once get in trouble? He's like a choirboy." Said Danny, rolling his eyes.

"I'm just concerned Daniel." Mary hit her oldest with the towel she had.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure he'll be fine." Said Frank

xxBBxx

After he had finished on the phone, Jamie stepped back into the classroom, which was now deserted except for his teacher. Sighing, Jamie sat down at his desk, He was still flipping through Jamie's answers.

"You have been in my class all year, and every single assignment, test, and quiz you have handed in have been top notch. Except for this. What happened?" Asked his professor. "I've noticed you seemed rather distracted."

Jamie sighed. "Yeah I guess you can say that. I have a decision I need to make, a really important one, and soon, and I just don't know what to do yet."

"Is this about that European program Harvard's got going?"

"How did you know about that?" Asked Jamie, looking up at him suddenly.

"Apparently when they were looking at you, they didn't know whether or not you were good enough to be invited. They called all of your teachers to get references."

"Oh. Well yeah. They want an answer by Sunday and I have no idea what to do." Jamie admitted.

"I don't want to make any decisions for you, but just consider your options. I know family is important to you, and even though you will miss them you'll see them again. This is an amazing opportunity, and I get that you may want to pass it up. But don't forget the amazing experiences you can draw from doing this. Not many people get this opportunity Jamie. Feel lucky. I'm sure you'll make a good decision."

"Thank you professor."

"And as for this exam, come back on Monday and retake it. I know you deserve that."

Jamie smiled "Thank you."

"Any time. Now go enjoy some time with your family."

Jamie stood after shaking his teacher's hand, walking towards the door.

"Oh, and Jamie?" Jamie turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Good luck."

Jamie just smiled and left, pondering everything his teacher said.

xxBBxx

Jamie pulled up in front of his father's house, the sun close to setting below the horizon. He was about twenty minutes late, and expected they had already sat down to eat. The forty five minute drive was enough time for Jamie to sit and think about everything he had on the table. And eventually, he had made a decision.

Getting out of the car, he wondered how his family would react to what he had decided, especially Danny. Sighing, Jamie pulled open the front door and entered the dining room, where he was greeted by several smiling faces and the wonderful smell of food.

"He everyone, sorry I'm late. Happy anniversary guys." Jamie smiled at his parents before sitting down in his spot next to Joe.

"So kid are you done with your exams now?" Asked Joe.

Jamie looked up, spooning food onto his plate. "I uh. No. I have to go back Monday and retake an exam but after that I'm done."

The room was filled with an awkward silence, with the exception of the sounds of chewing and forks being scraped across plates.

Finally Mary decided to start a new conversation. "So Jamie, didn't the Harvard people want an answer by Sunday? You need to make a decision son."

"I already have." Said Jamie tersely.

"And what are you going to do?" Asked Henry.

"I've decided to go. Now if you don't mind, can we please change the subject to something non-me related?"

The rest of the dinner was silent.

xxBBxx

After his parents opened some anniversary cards and presents, which was filled with excited glances his way from his mother, Jamie retreated up to his room for some peace and time to think. Grabbing his computer, Jamie shot an email to the people at Harvard to set up an appointment for an interview. Thankfully they had representatives in the city, so he wouldn't have to drive all the way to Cambridge for his interview. After he had that all scheduled, for Monday afternoon after his exam, there was a knock at his bedroom door.

"Come in." Said Jamie, who didn't look up. The door opened and Erin leaned against the doorframe, smiling.

"You know mom's just proud of you right? We all are." Said Erin.

"I know that Erin. I just hate how she's acting. She's overreacting and it makes me uncomfortable. It's like she expects be to fall in love with being a lawyer. I don't know if I can keep doing this Erin. Lying to myself and to mom? It's not fair to either one of us."

"I know that kid. But everything will be alright you hear me? You're going to get on that plane and have the time of your life because I know you'll be amazing at whatever you decide to do. You'll be an amazing lawyer."

"Thank you Erin. I needed that."

"No problem." Erin sat down on the bed next to Jamie, resting her head against his arm. "When do you leave?"

"September 5th."

"I'm going to miss you little brother, but I know you're going to have so much fun. I have to get Nicky home alright? I'll see you soon." Erin kissed Jamie on the head before leaving.

xxBBxx

That Monday, Jamie sat confidently in his professor's classroom. He had just finished his exam, and was eternally grateful that he had been given a second chance to take it, as he knew he had aced this one. It had different questions, but nonetheless it was still incredibly easy. Now came the hard part, after he turned it in he had to head for his interview.

His professor had allowed Jamie to take the exam while some students form another class were taking to make it easier on both of them. Jamie smiled and grabbed his belongings before bringing up his paper. As he set the paper on his professor's desk, he noticed the professor mouth something to him.

"Congratulations Jamie. And good luck." Jamie just smiled and nodded before heading outside into the fresh air. The sun was shining brightly that day, and Jamie took it as a positive sign that everything would go well in his interview. It wasn't to see if they still wanted Jamie in the program, they wanted to get a feel for him and find out if he was truly right for it.

As Jamie drove, mild insecurities started creeping into his mind. What if he blew it? What if they changed their mind and decided he wasn't good enough for them after all? Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to remember his family's words of encouragement they had given him the previous night at Sunday dinner.

The only person who didn't seem to be very happy for him was Danny, but Jamie tried his best to not let that bother him and get in the way of his thoughts. As he pulled up to the large office building, he took a final, deep breath, grabbed his paperwork and sauntered into the building.

xxBBxx

Jamie's hands were sweaty and freezing at the same time, which he didn't know was possible. He also didn't know it was possible to be this nervous. He had been sitting there for fifteen minutes, as his interviewer's appointment was running behind, and in those fifteen minutes the nerves started to set in and take control.

Once the woman he presumed was 'the appointment' stepped out of the office, Jamie tried desperately not to throw up.

"Jamison Reagan?" Said a lady, stepping out of the office behind the appointment. She was tall and beautiful, Jamie suspected in her mid to late thirties. Her dark hair covered the sides of her glassed, which were perched on her nose in a prissy manner.

Jamie stood up quickly, wiping his hands off on his pants. "That would be me." He offered a smile at the woman, who simply shook his hand. Jamie tried to read the expression on her face, but there really wasn't one.

The woman motioned for him to sit after closing the door behind them. They both sat down.

"I am Mariana Hutchinson and I will be conducting your interview. I have reviews your files. You are a very impressive young man. Very well rounded academically, and you've also been involved in several extra-curricular activities. That's good. And your teacher comments say that you are very dedicated, which I like. Now, what can you tell me about yourself?"

The interview lasted about half an hour, which was longer than either party had originally presumed. All in all, she seemed very pleased with him. Mariana seemed very impressed with his answers, especially when she asked "Who do you aspire to be most like in your law career?" And he answered simply.

"I aspire to be myself at my best."

At the end of the interview, they shook hands, and Mariana, smiling, said. "I think we've done a good job picking you. You'll have to attend a travel meeting which all of those details will be sent to you. I'm looking forward to talking to you more. You have a good day now Jamie." Smiled Mariana.

"You too." Jamie smiled and left. Once he got to his car he grinned and let out a light squeal of celebration, immediately sending a text to Joe.

"I'm in. She loved me."

"Congrats little brother. I knew you could do it." Replied Joe. All Jamie could do was smile.

 _ **Author's Note: I know this chapter is short, and I'm sorry. But how did you guys like it? Also, I have a question. Do you want a separate chapter for every single day he's there or can I skip when I can't think of anything interesting? Let me know in the reviews!**_

 _ **What's next: Jamie says goodbye to everyone and heads off to Europe**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: I've had so many positive feedback and I'm so glad that you guys are liking this story. Anyone else on here understands how great it feels for someone to show appreciation for something you did. I've decided against writing a separate chapter for every day, but I'll still do as many chapters as I can get ideas for. Don't be afraid to send any ideas to me, I love trying to make your visions into something. Alright, here goes nothing.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters.**_

 _ **Sunday May 4**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2005**_

The past three and a half months had passed all too quickly for Jamie. Between attending travel meetings, fundraising, and preparing for the trip, he had tried to spend as much time with his family as possible, especially with his niece and nephews, to make up for lost time while he was gone.

Now it was the day before he was leaving, and Jamie was honestly very nervous. He hadn't met any of the other people that were going with him on the trip, not even the guy who would be his roommate for almost a month. From what he had gathered based on the list of names, many of them were the children of rather wealthy or popular people, as he recognized quite a few of the last names. What if these people didn't like him because of his family's attitude towards money? What if they recognized his last name and assumed him to be a sucker for the NYPD?

As Jamie looked down at the floor during Sunday mass, he tried to push these thoughts out of his mind and focus on the good things that were to come, but he couldn't help but feel those subtle doubts in the back of his mind. His family had been a great help in preparing him for the trip, his mother and sisters (sisters because I'm including Linda) had taken him shopping for new clothes for the trip. His brothers had taken the liberty of teaching him how to "properly" talk to women, as they assumed he may meet a nice girl while he was over there.

Jamie's flight was leaving at 8:00 in the morning the next day, so he needed to be sure to say all of his goodbyes today. But he really didn't want to say goodbye, to any of them. He had never been away from home longer than going to a sleepover at a friend's house, let alone spending a month in another country entirely miles away from your family.

As mass ended, Jamie smiled as he realized that today would be the last family dinner he would have for a while. Even though all of his meals were taken care of from that fundraising, he would still miss his family's home cooked meals every Sunday.

His brother in law had helped him set up a Skype account on his laptop so that he could communicate easier with his family and actually be able to see them instead of just talking over the phone.

Throughout dinner, Jamie was trying to eat as slow as possible without looking suspicious, though he knew his family had probably figured him out and caught on. He was trying to make the dinner go slow so that he could savor it while it lasted, he never wanted to leave.

After dessert, Jamie went up to his room to make sure everything was set. He was allowed three items, two suitcases and one carry-on to have with him on the plane that included his phone, computer and other necessities. Sighing, he went through everything he owned, both in his bags and in his room to make sure he didn't forget anything. He didn't want to get to Liverpool and realize there was still something important at home.

As he was wandering, making sure everything was good, there was a quiet knock at his doorframe.

"You can come in." Jamie said, not turning to see who was there.

"Uncle Jamie?" Jamie turned around and saw his nine year old niece, her eyes red and puffy. Jamie frowned when he saw her, immediately concerned. "What's wrong Nik?" When she shook her head, he sat on the bed and opened his arms. "C'mere."

Nicky went to her uncle and hugged him tightly, crying into his shirt. " I don't want you to go." She said, looking up at him.

Jamie sighed and kissed her head. As the youngest of his siblings, he was often more loving towards the little ones, as he could relate to them more. He picked the little girl up and set her gently in his lap. "Nicky, you know I love you right?"

Nicky nodded, sniffling slightly. Jamie wiped her eyes and continued. "Then know no matter what happens, I will still love you no matter what when I come back. And I am coming back okay? I'll still be able to talk to you because of that thing your daddy set up. I promise you can call me anytime you want to if you want to talk to me okay?"

She nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. "Good. Now I need you to promise me something as well."

"Anything Uncle Jamie."

"Your mother loves you very much, and she works very hard to make sure that she and your daddy can take care of you, and sometimes she can be harsh, but she just does it because she loves you. I need you to promise me to be good for her alright? She wants the best from you and I don't want to hear that you've been acting up with her, or your father for that matter." Said Jamie tersely.

Nicky smiled and nodded. "I promise!"

"Good. Now I should probably say goodbye to everyone else before they go don't you think?" Jamie asked.

Nicky smiled "Mommy said earlier she was going to miss you too. She cried because she said you were old now."

Jamie chuckled "I think your mommy is right."

Together the two went downstairs to face the rest of the family.

The first thing Jamie did was kneel down by his little nephews, who at three and five weren't quite old enough to understand where he was going and why. "I need to talk to you two little bugs" He tickled their stomachs lightly, causing both Jack and Sean to giggle.

"I'm going away for a little bit to go to a cooler school than the one I'm at now. I'll make friends and get to learn lots of cool things. But that doesn't mean I'll forget about you alright? You can call me anytime you want to and Uncle Jack set up a cool video chat thing we can use on Sundays when you're all here okay? I love you guys and I'm going to miss you a lot." He gave both of them kisses, to which the two boys cringed and wiped off their faces.

Jamie then stood and turned to his siblings. Erin immediately threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I'll miss you a lot little brother. Do great things over there." She whispered in his ear before giving him a gentle kiss on the head.

Danny came up to him next, patting him on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you kid. I hope you meet all kinds of pretty lawyer chicks." At that, Jamie's face turned red.

Finally was Joe. He knew out of all of his siblings, this would be the hardest goodbye. Joe wrapped him tightly in a hug. "I'm so proud of you Jamers. I know you'll do great though, because you're smart and you'll kick all of their butts. Don't you forget to call me every single day and tell me what's going on you hear me?"

"Yes Joe."

"Alright. Bon Voyage little brother." Smiled Joe.

Even though Linda and Jack weren't technically his siblings, saying goodbye to them was hard as well, as he had known them both since he was fairly little. And after some final hugs and goodbyes between Jamie and everyone else, including his grandfather, the family left, leaving just him and his parents in the house.

The goodbyes had taken an emotional toll on Jamie, and he could feel his eyes start to moisten, so he thought it would be best to get out of there as soon as he could.

"I should probably head up to bed, early morning and all you know?" Said Jamie, who after some goodnight kisses went up to his room. He didn't know how long it took him to fall asleep that night, but he knew it was probably already morning by the time he did so, and once he finally did, the sleep he got was not very restful.

xxBBxx

The next morning, Jamie's mother woke him up at 5:00 to make sure he was at the airport on time to go through security and everything. He would be meeting the rest of the group at the gate before their seven hour flight to Manchester, and from there another two hours to Liverpool. By the time they landed, it would be around 10 PM in Liverpool time.

The mood in the house was fairly quiet, partially due to the early hour. Neither parent wanted to address the fact that he was leaving until he had to.

After a quick breakfast, Jamie got dressed and started lugging his bags downstairs. As he walked to and from his room, he took a look at all of the pictures of his family on the wall and was saddened knowing that it would be so long before he could see them and hug them again.

Once everything had made it downstairs and was loaded into the car, they headed off towards JFK Airport. On the way, his mother had started with the nerves, asking every question possible. However, she was somewhat unenthusiastic. Maybe she was just coming down with something?

"Did you remember your toothbrush?"

"Yes mom."

"Are you sure you have enough pairs of underwear?"

"I'm sure mom."

"Did you remember to bring all of your chargers?"

"Mom please. I remembered everything, I checked last night." Said Jamie, slightly annoyed even though he knew his mother was only trying to help.

Finally they arrived at the airport and it was time to say goodbye. Frank helped Jamie unload all of his bags and take them into the airport, towards security. Once they reached the line, Jamie turned to his parents. His mother had tears in her eyes and his dad was just staring back at him with pride.

Jamie stepped forward and hugged his mother first, suddenly feeling the urge to forget about this trip and go back home. But he knew he had too much invested into this already, and he couldn't back down now. Mary squeezed him tightly, whispered over and over again that she loved him and was proud of him. Sadly, she eventually let go and Jamie hugged his father, whose embrace was both gentle and strong at the same time, giving him the love and reassurance he needed.

"I'm scared." Came the words. Jamie hadn't wanted to admit it, but he was. He was scared to meet these new people. Scared to go to another country.

"I know son. But you're smart and brilliant. You'll do just fine. Now go out there and show them how a Reagan works." Frank said, smiling.

Jamie grinned. "I will dad. I promise. I love you guys. "

"We love you too." Said Mary, giving him one last kiss. Jamie grabbed his things, and without looking back athis parents, walked to the security line.

xxBBxx

Security took a lot longer than necessary, but Jamie understood. After 9/11 airport security had taken a huge step in the right direction, but only unfortunate part being that it literally took forever. With his boarding pass in hand, he started trying to find the gate his flight was leaving from. It was 7:45, so he had a little bit of time to talk to his new family for the next month.

Not everybody was there yet when he arrived, but right away he noticed that most of them were dressed a bit…over the top for a plane flight. Granted, he realized that these people most likely came from money valuing families, but they were at least somewhat nice to him.

Jamie was then introduced to his new roommate, Josh Gordon, who unfortunately he didn't like at all. Josh was obviously a rich boy, who had tried to hold back a cringe when he saw the simple t-shirt that Jamie was wearing. So much for comfort. He also seemed to think that he would be the best of them all and completely dominate them all.

Fortunately, there was another guy in the corner who while he was dressed nice, also appeared to be very nice. Jamie walked over to him and decided to introduce himself.

"Hey. I'm uh. Jamie Reagan."

"Nice to meet ya Jamie. I'm Spencer. Spencer Croft. All these people, they seem kind of snobby to me, what do you think?"

"I totally agree." Jamie smiled, hoping this would be the beginning of a new friendship. Until boarding started, the two spent their time talking to each other and becoming fast friends. Jamie was happy to know that there was at least one person on this trip who wouldn't be obsessed with perfection or money the entire trip. Or both.

As they started boarding the plane, Jamie took a deep breath and looked to his new buddy Spencer. They then both instantly knew that this was the beginning of something amazing.

 _ **Author's Note: I hope you liked that, and the introduction of Spencer. I thought it would be nice for them to have a little background and for Jamie to have somebody on his side in these endeavours. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review and offer any prompts or ideas you have for the story! Also, I need help. Anyone who knows things about Liverpool such as the weather and lifestyle would be great so that I can make this story as accurate as possible. Thanks!**_

 _ **What's Next: Jamie arrives in Liverpool and their adventure begins!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: Happy Memorial Day to all of my fellow Americans out there! I haven't updated lately because I actually got this rash all over my body, not fun and I couldn't do much until it dried up but here I am now! While doing this I'm working on another piece for you but I'm still working out the logistics, so the premiere of that will probably be a while. I am in this story going to try and delve into Jamie's relationship with Spencer as we don't know much about him. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters**_

 _ **Monday September 5**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2005. 10PM Liverpool time 5PM New York time**_

Frank hung up his phone and walked back into the dining room, where his wife father, and middle son were still enjoying their dinner. "That was Jamie. He just called to let us know that his plane landed safely and everything was going smooth. He says he'll call when he can and he'll video chat on Sunday."

Joe smiled. "I'm glad he's okay. I miss the kid already and it hasn't even been twenty-four hours. I'm happy for him though."

Mary smiled as well. She had been quite tired these past few weeks and not many seemed to notice, only Jamie and Frank. "We're all happy for him. And super proud. I can't wait until he calls tomorrow so we can see how his first day went."

The entire family agreed with hums and nods before continuing to eat their dinner.

xxBBxx

After calling his two oldest siblings to reassure him that he had made it to Liverpool in one piece, which pretty much everybody in the group was doing as well, Jamie had the time to relax against the wall. The flight hadn't been too bad, but it was nine hours long and there was a baby a few rows back that would not stop crying for anything. Eventually it fell asleep. Although it was only five back home, the flight had exhausted Jamie and after a meal and a shower he would be ready to relax for the night.

He had been seated next to an elderly woman whom apparently had found him rather handsome (who wouldn't), which prompted her to lay her head on his arm and take a nice nap for the majority of the flight. Jamie didn't really mind though, it gave him time to read some and read more about what would be going on while over there.

As the number of people on their phones gradually grew smaller, Jamie turned his attention to the outside. It was beautiful, there were city lights which reminded him of home and gave him a little bit of comfort.

Eventually Spencer came over to him and yawned. "That stupid baby wore me out." He said, causing Jamie to chuckle.

"Yeah, and even though it's early at home, I could deal with bedtime." Said Jamie

"I agree. My family's worried that I won't get enough sleep while I'm over here, because of the time difference. I told them that eventually I'd adjust, but then I'll have to adjust once we're back home again." Spencer sighed, patting Jamie on the shoulder.

"What exactly are we doing tomorrow? I hope it's not too much, because I'm going to be exhausted." Asked Jamie.

"Tomorrow we're attending a lecture at the University of Liverpool given by one of their law professors, which will be cool, and you could probably take a nap during it if you wanted to, so no it probably won't be too bad, I can see that fiery interest in you though, so I doubt you'd be able to sleep." Said Spencer.

"Alright, that sounds cool. So I guess we're taking a bus to the hotel? Which would be weird, since I'm so used to taking the subway everywhere or driving myself." Laughed Jamie.

At that cue, one of their trip directors, the lady who had interviewed Jamie, called them all down after retrieving their luggage to the front of the airport, where a bus was waiting for them. The luggage was loaded onto the undercarriage of the bus first, and then all of them got into single-file and climbed onto the bus.

The air had a chill to it. Jamie wasn't cold, as he had definitely experienced some cold weather during his years living in New York, but nonetheless, it was still chillier than it was in New York during this time of year. Of course he was prepared, though, having brought enough warm clothes for him to survive a winter in Antarctica, mostly his mother's doing.

Jamie sat next to Spencer, ignoring his future roommate's calls for Jamie to go join him. The bus ride was fairly uneventful, as everyone was mostly taking in the surroundings of this beautiful city. Most of the, having never been out of the country before, were very interesting in the social lives and activities of the citizens of Liverpool.

The socialness and city-like appearance gave Jamie the sudden feeling of missing home. But no, he would not get homesick so early into his trip. He would not go running to his mommy and daddy telling them that he missed them too much. And he would never in a million years tell his siblings that he missed them too much and give the ammunition against him.

As the bus pulled up in front of the hotel, he thought about how they were all going to be home, together, without him. And how they could share stories and laughs at the dinner table, but not over the phone or through a Skype call.

Sighing, he got off of the bus and waited patiently to gather his things.

"Once you all get up to your rooms, clean up a bit and join us in the café on the first floor in an hour to get something to eat before you all head up to bed. We don't want anyone starving to death in the middle of the night right?" Said one of their leaders, whose name badge said Ariana.

It was then that Jamie realized how hungry he was. He had had some snacks on the plane to tide him over, but now he was looking forward to some real food. Granted, he didn't know much about the cuisine in Europe, but he was willing to try new things any day, so it didn't bother him much.

After everyone gathered their luggage, they all went to their respective rooms. Josh had asked, more like said, that he could shower first, which Jamie agreed to. It would give him some time to unpack a bit before he showered.

Jamie unpacked his things, being sure to take up as little space as possible. He remembered Josh saying that he had a lot of things he needed to unpack, and Jamie definitely didn't want to face his wrath. Josh was tall enough to the point that even with his slender body, he could easily overpower Jamie and he did not want to make a call to his family telling them he got beat up.

When Josh came out of the shower, it was finally his turn. Jamie tried to not take too long and get ready quickly, as his stomach was rumbling and he really wanted some food.

The restaurant was pretty close to being full when they arrived. Most of the people on the trip were seated at a long table, and the two roommates sat down with them. The night passed nicely and by the time everyone was done, it was midnight.

Jamie went up to bed and fell asleep rather quickly, thinking about the next day in excitement.

xxBBxx

Jamie was woken up at 7:30 AM with an alarm blaring from the nightstand. He sat up and stretched, yawning. The sun was poking light through their curtains. He got out of bed just as Josh started to sit up as well. Since he had just showered the previous night, Jamie just went to get ready- getting dressed, washing his face and combing his hair. He'd brush his teeth after he ate something, he decided.

Jamie didn't wait for Josh to be ready before he left to go down and get some breakfast. He ate with Spencer, who was complaining that his roommate had snored all night, prompting him to get very little sleep. Jamie just laughed and told him about the demanding personality of his own roommate.

"Yeah. I grew up with him. He'll come around once you get to know him a little better. We both grew up at one of those fancy, rich kid schools." Said Spencer.

Jamie nodded. "We better get going, or we'll be late for the bus. It's like the first day of school, if you're late or you miss it you'll never live it down."

At that, the two friends got up and went to their rooms to brush their teeth and get anything they would need for the day before heading back down to the lobby to wait for everybody else to arrive. Jamie spent this time checking his phone for any messages from his family, wanting to be sure that nothing went wrong. But he was already concerned.

When Jamie had called his father last night, his mother had not wanted to speak to him, Frank having said she was already asleep, but Jamie knew better than that. He knew something was wrong and he couldn't be sure of what, but he would try to find out later tonight or tomorrow.

As the bus arrived, they all filed outside. The sun had warmed up the air a bit from the night before, but it was still a bit chilly, but not too bad. Jamie spent most of the ride to the University staring outside the window, taking in the surroundings and the city he hadn't been able to see fully the night before.

It was clear everyone on the bus was tired, as it was still pretty early back at home when they got up and even earlier for those who lived further west. The nice atmosphere and Jamie's excitement kept him alert though, so when they pulled up in front of the school. It looked almost like a large church from the colonial days of America, sparking Jamie's interest in history.

They were ushered by their leaders off of the bus and into the main law building, which was currently full of students who were watching them. One girl in particular caught Jamie's eye, but he quickly looked away remembering why he was there.

After everybody was present and accounted for, they were taken into a large, currently empty lecture hall and were told to take their seats. The group split up into what appeared to be little factions, sitting with their respective cliques. After about ten minutes, a man walked in and stood at the front of the hall, moving his hands down to silence them. Everybody got quiet very fast.

Overall, the lecture took up about two hours, meaning it was around one when it finished. There were some people that has started to doze or daydream after the first ten minutes or so, but Jamie was not one of them. He had found the lecture fascinating, and was hanging on to every single word that the professor had said. Even though Jamie knew he wanted to be a cop, he really found this side of the law interesting and thought that maybe he could create a career with this.

After the lecture was over, everybody went out to lunch. There were various conversations and attitudes about what they had just listened to. Just by eavesdropping on the conversations, Jamie could tell who of these people who were just interested in law because of the money, and who truly felt a passion for this.

After lunch, they were allowed to walk around the campus and talk to other law students about what they were doing, which Jamie found fun. He liked learning from other people and hearing their opinions. It was almost like doing a consult.

Everyone is the group was called back to where the bus was parked at 4, so that they could head back to the hotel. After a day like this, it would be nice to decompress for the rest of the evening until it was time to go to bed. In his exploring, Jamie found that the hotel had a library, which was where he spent the next two hours until he got hungry again.

After eating, he went back to the library until it closed at ten. By that time, Jamie was so tired after such a long day that he went up to his room and completely forgot to call his family and tell them about his day. He would regret that the next day.

Without even feeling like showering, Jamie went to bed almost immediately after changing into his pyjamas. It had been a long day, and he was tired.

xxBBxx

"I'm sure he's fine Mary, he's a young boy and probably got caught up in the fun." Said Henry, looking to the worried mother.

"That's not like Jamie Pops, he always calls, even when he's on his way home from school he calls. Something's wrong I'm telling you." Said Mary, checking the phone for the millionth time.

"Maybe he had a long day and was just tired. If something had happened to him, we would have been notified." Frank said.

"Well he'd definitely be asleep by now, it's almost eleven over there. I say he just fell asleep. He'll call tomorrow." Henry stressed.

"I hope you're right." The phone rang and Mary immediately ran to it and answered. It wasn't Jamie on the phone, and they all would soon wish that it had been.

 _ **Author's Note: Whoo so we see that Jamie is enjoying his trip already, and it's just the beginning. We see a little bit of a cliffie here but you'll get your answers at the next update. I will update as soon as possible. Please review!**_

 _ **What's next: Jamie gets some bad news which puts a damper on his week (anyone care to guess what it is?), and he starts feeling a little homesick. Who will be there to make it all better?**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: Hi everybody! So glad you guys are enjoying this story. In this chapter we're going to start with one day and then skip a bit to that first Sunday, the first mass and Sunday dinner that Jamie will be missing on this trip. I am excited to announce that I've started writing another story, which probably won't be posted until I'm done with this one, but it's nice to know what to look out for. I had to adjust some things because I was watching an episode and on Mary's headstone her death date in September 14**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2005 which is pretty soon in this story so yeah. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I shall see you at the bottom of your screen!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters**_

 _ **Wednesday September 7**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2005**_

When Jamie heard his phone ring he immediately knew something was wrong. It was only 7 in the morning, his time, so he knew it was early in the morning at home. There was no way anything good could be happening from a call at this time. What could it be? His brothers? God, he didn't even want to think. Had one of them been shot and killed on tour?

Jamie yawned before pressing the answer button and pressing it to his ear. "Hello?" He managed to get out. He was still half asleep and not in a very good condition to have a full out telephone conversation right now.

"Jamie, what happened to you?" Asked Mary, giving Jamie a realization.

"God. I'm so sorry I forgot I was supposed to call. I had such an amazing and busy day that it just slipped my mind and then I was just so exhausted. Why are you calling? It's like two in the morning over there. Something didn't happen to Danny or Joe right? Please tell me they're okay." Said Jamie. He caught the fear and worry in her voice, which immediately took any grogginess he was feeling away.

"No, no they're both okay. As a matter of fact everyone's here right now. We're having a family meeting. They said you needed to know."

"Needed to know what?"

"Jamie, I've got cancer."

Jamie immediately felt queasy. "What?" He asked, the shock clearly in his voice. The loudness of his question awoke Josh, who frowned over at him.

"Breast cancer. But Jamie honey, I want you to know that I can fight this-"

"How bad is it?"

"Jamie…"

"How bad is it mom?"

Mary sighed on the other end of the telephone. "They think it's pretty bad. But I'm going to fight for you honey I promise."

"Mom I can come home if you need me to. I'm sure they'll understand-"

"Jamie listen to me. You are not coming home from that trip young man, I won't have it. I promise you I'll still be here when you get home. I'm not going to leave you, I promise" Mary tried to reassure her youngest. "I didn't want to tell you, because I don't want to ruin your trip."

"There's something you're not telling me mom." Jamie whispered. "How long have you known?"

"Six months."

"How long are they giving you?"

"They say I won't make it to see you come home but baby please. Don't leave this amazing opportunity because of me."

"And you didn't tell me this beforehand?"

"I didn't want to make you upset. You were doing so well in school and you're so innocent I just-."

"I have to go mom." Jamie interrupted. And with that, he hung up. Of all of the things his family could have done to him. He knew another thing- he never would have come on this trip if he had known. And his mother probably knew that, which is why she didn't want him to know.

Regretfully, Jamie got up and started to get ready for the day, now much less enthusiastic than he was before. The rest of the people on the trip, especially Spencer, immediately noticed that he was acting strange. The happy, eager to learn part inside of him was now gone, so naturally he took a lot less interest in anything that they did.

xxBBxx

For the rest of the week, Jamie became extremely reclusive. He only talked when directly spoken to, and hardly paid any attention to what they were learning. It was the same thing with his family. Jamie avoided answering their calls, only ever talking for longer than a few minutes when it was either his niece or nephews. He refused to talk to his parents as well. He never answered any questions about what was bothering him or what happened, but Josh had filled everyone in on what he heard from the telephone call that morning, leaving them all to make their own assumptions.

Now it was Sunday, and everyone was already in poor spirits as it was. It was September 11th, the anniversary of one of the most infamous days in American history. Jamie knew his family would be attending a special service that day, so he decided it would be best to not talk to them until the afternoon.

His mom had been admitted to the hospital on Friday, and was deteriorating rather quickly. Jamie wanted more than anything to go home to her, but she had begged him to stay, not wanting to ruin such a great opportunity for him.

During the day, everyone had gone to a special ceremony they held in remembrance of 9/11, which they all appreciated very much, as this wasn't the home country but they still observed it as a sad day. Jamie had kept his eyes in one spot, remembering his experience of that day. He had been a junior in high school at the time, and was frankly pretty terrified, as he couldn't get into contact with anyone and he didn't know if any of his family members were down there at the time.

After an emotionally exhausting day, all Jamie really wanted to do was go to sleep. It was nine at night, and by now he had adjusted to the time difference. But he knew he had to talk to his family, as promised, so once he got ready for bed, he got in and grabbed his computer, sending a video chat request to his brother in law.

It didn't take long to answer, and Jamie could immediately see that the family was at the hospital spending time with Mary. The first face he saw was Erin.

"Hi baby brother!" She said excitedly, happy to see his face for the first time since he left.

"Hey, how's everything going there?" Jamie asked.

"Everything is good. We've all been waiting to hear from you, everyone is here so you got good timing. We're having Sunday dinner here at the hospital to spend time with mom. We all wish you were here. The kids went to the gift shop but I'm sure they'll be back soon."

Erin then set the computer on the end of Mary's bed so that everybody could fit into the frame. Jamie immediately smiled as he saw his entire family. His mom however, looked dreadful. In the week he had been gone, she had paled and thinned significantly, and he instantly knew that she didn't have much time left.

Jamie talked with his family, and once the kids got back from the gift shop with Jack they were all incredibly enthused to see their uncle, and they each gave him a kiss through the screen, which he happily returned.

After a while of talking, Mary finally spoke up. "I need to talk to Jamie please. Alone."

The family looked at each other for a moment and they ushered the children out, leaving the computer with Mary after saying goodbye to Jamie and giving him even more screen kisses.

"I need to apologize." She started.

"No, mom you don't." Jamie sighed.

"Just listen. The only other person who knew was your father, I just told your siblings the day after you left, and I didn't want them to influence your decision. But honey, I can't do it anymore. I've been fighting for six months and it isn't working. They're pulling the treatments Tuesday night."

Jamie's eyes teared up. "Mom please. I know you want me to take this opportunity and I do too, but I need to come home. I want to be with you and I want to be able to say…goodbye."

"That's why we're talking now. Oh my sweet baby, there's not much to say, and I'm going to say it now in case I'm too weak to talk. I love you so much, you're my youngest, my baby. You were a blessing for the family. You hold us together sweetheart, and they're going to need you. I need you to be strong for me, no matter what okay? Take care of yourself and everyone else. I will always love you. And I need you to promise me something."

By now tears were streaming down Jamie's face, and he already knew exactly what she was going to say.

"Promise me you won't follow them. Promise me you'll stay safe." She whispered.

"Mom I can't…"

"Jamie. Please. Promise me."

"I promise mom. I love you."

"I love you too." Mary said, and the screen went black.

Jamie stared at his blank computer screen for a moment before realizing that the conversation was over and he shut it. His body was trying to make him cry, but he couldn't, not now. Not when his mother had asked him to be strong and not when his roommate was in the shower just a short distance away, so Jamie laid down, shut out his light and tried to sleep.

xxBBxx

Sleep hadn't come to Jamie that night. He had tossed and turned all night, his mind filled with memories of his mother, and realizing that those memories would simply be that-memories. One in particular came into his mind and stayed there for a while, and it was one he had hoped to keep.

When he was in Kindergarten, he had met this little girl named Amelia. Jamie developed a huge crush on her and they became really close friends. He brought her flowers and little presents of things he could find around the house. His whole family thought it was cute at the time so they played along and helped him find things to give her. Jamie assumed she liked him back since she would always give him a piece of her cookie at lunch. But one day at recess, Jamie found Amelia giving a kiss on the cheek to another boy in their class. He was devastated. He had cried the entire afternoon after he had gotten home from school, and his mother had sat him in her lap and held him, comforting him until the pain of his first heartbreak faded away.

But she wouldn't be there to make the pain of this heartbreak disappear, no matter how much he wanted her to. Around six in the morning he had decided to get up. Remembering his mother's parting words, he knew he had to get himself back on track and start functioning and learning again. He had to do this to keep his promise to her.

So Jamie picked himself back up again and managed to take care of himself. Over the next two days, he ate, slept and cleaned himself. Nobody knew what had caused him to suddenly bounce back from the stoop he had fallen into. But everyone seemed somewhat happy that he was okay, even the rich kids because he had always brought such enthusiasm and wisdom into discussions.

Wednesday, September 14th, 2005

The day had so far, been pretty normal for Jamie. They were currently each shadowing lawyers for the week who were currently working on cases. Jamie had been fascinated with exploring this side of the law and greatly enjoyed seeing the differences between their legal process and his. The past two days had been trying, but he was doing alright so far. It was around noon, when they were on their lunch break, when his world was turned upside down.

His phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket, Spencer raising an eyebrow at him. He saw the caller ID and swallowed. It said dad.

"Hello?"

 _ **Author's Note: Another chapter dine, after a bit more sadness next chapter it will pick up a bit I promise as he gets back on his feet. I'm sure you guys know what's coming, so if you have any ideas for how to do the funeral please let me know, because I don't think Jamie would want to miss out.**_

 _ **Up Next: Jamie gets an unfortunate phone call and with some help manages to make it through.**_


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: So you guys probably thought I abandoned this story, I promise I didn't it's just that once summer vacation started I got incredibly lazy, which is really unfortunate and I apologize. I also really don't know how to write this chapter, so it will likely be a bit short, but hopefully you like it. I got some complaints last chapter so I will try to not focus too much on Mary's passing, but it has to be mentioned. I want to wish all of my fellow Americans a happy Independence Day, be careful with fireworks and stay safe tonight. Alright, here goes nothing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters

Chapter 7

Spencer knew something was wrong as soon as Jamie answered the phone. He noticed that his friend had been acting strange the past few days- quiet and distant, or at least more so than usual. So when he noticed Jamie's face go a shade paler, he immediately stood and pushed his way out of the restaurant. He realized that Jamie was swaying a bit, go he grabbed hold of his friend and slowly sat him on the bench. "C'mon buddy, sit here."

Jamie was no longer talking into the phone, but the cries of his name coming through the phone were indication to Spencer that he hadn't hung up, so the more sane man slowly and carefully took the phone from the other's hand and pressed it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hello? Jamie? Who is this?" The voice on the other end was gentle and full of emotion.

"This is Jamie's friend Spencer. He looked a bit sick to I had him sit down. He looks kind of pale and dizzy." Said Spencer cautiously.

"This is his brother Joe…our mom just passed. Is he alright?"

Spencer nodded, even though Joe couldn't see him. "He seems okay, just a bit of shock I think. I'll ask someone to get him some water." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jamie starting to get composure and asking for the phone. "I'll give him back to you." Spencer then handed Jamie the phone before going to get some water.

"Joe…I need to know. Was she in pain?"

Joe sighed, he knew this question was going to come up. "No Jamie. She was happy, and at peace. She wanted me to tell you she loved you." He hated lying to his little brother, but he knew that at the moment it was for the best.

"Thank you Joe. When are you planning the funeral?"

"Sunday. Are you going to come home Jamie? I can pick you up at the airport if you need me to." Joe said.

Jamie sighed and thought for a moment. He wanted to be at the funeral, he knew he should be there. But his mom's words kept whispering in his head not to come home, to continue his studies. He couldn't go against his mother's wishes now that she was gone. He couldn't break his promise. "I can't Joe. I really, really want to, but I can't. I promised."

"I understand kid. You hang in there alright? Everything will be okay. Hang on to that good friend of yours there and take care of yourself. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything alright? I'll spend the money and hop on the soonest flight over there if you need me to."

"Okay Joe. You guys take care…tell everyone that I love them. Look after dad, he's going to need help."

"Call him later kid, once everything's settled. Maybe hearing your voice will make him feel a little better. He misses you, we all do."#

"I'll do that. Thanks for calling. I love you Joe." Whispered Jamie.

"I love you too little brother." And with that, the two hung up the phone.

Jamie sat on that bench for another twenty minutes until lunch was over, trying to get over the shock that was still running through his head. He thought he saw, through the restaurant window, the concerned face of girl staring at him. She looked worried, and he recognized her from the airplane, but hadn't met her. His mother was dead, so soon. It felt like only yesterday she was still able to chase her four children around the house. It had just been a few weeks ago he saw her and she was alive and well.

Nothing could explain the emotions that were running through Jamie at the moment. Anger, sadness, grief. There was probably nothing he could have done to help his mother, but that didn't help the self-consciousness from entering into his mind. Perhaps he could've noticed the tiredness sooner, maybe he should have just stayed home in the first place.

For the rest of the day, Spencer kept a close eye on Jamie, who again, was quiet and distant. However his mind was far from it. He knew he had to remain strong and that he couldn't break down, not now. He vaguely remembered Spencer being out there with him, and now realized that he was watching him, but couldn't remember if Spencer knew what was going on. Jamie really hoped he didn't, but he had no idea what he had talked to Joe about on the phone. For now, he would keep it a secret so that nobody would pressure him to go home and see his family.

Over the next few days, Jamie threw himself into his studies. The lawyer he was shadowing had a big case coming up in just over a week, so he naturally had a lot of work to do. He even had to go buy a few more notebooks because he was running out of room for all of the information he was learning.

Jamie planned to go through it all and organize it before analysing it once he got home. He was also planning on applying to Harvard when he made it home as well. Now that his mother was gone, he wanted to honor her memory by continuing his work in the legal field. And all of this studying abroad showed Jamie how much he really was enjoying it. And from what his lawyer, Arnold Potter said, he wasn't bad at it either.

All of the work Jamie was doing was starting to run him ragged, he would stay up late at night reviewing his notes, making sure they were correct, as he didn't want to sleep. His dreams were plagued with memories of his mother, and that's something he couldn't deal with right now.

By Saturday he could tell he was starting to get sick, all of the signs were there; stuffy nose and coughing and fatigue. By Sunday morning he felt miserable.

When he woke up Sunday morning, Jamie didn't want to get out of bed. He could hardly breathe and his head felt like it may explode. Not only that, it was the day of his mother's funeral. He had called his father Wednesday night like Joe had told him to, and the conversation has a very solemn mood.

His dad had answered on such a late ring Jamie assumed he wasn't going to answer. But when he did, it was obvious he was tired and upset.

"Son." Frank said in his signature serious voice that could make any young child's heart skip a beat.

"Hey dad. I um, wanted to check in and make sure you were doing alright. How is everyone?"

"We're hanging in there Jamie. We'll be alright. How are you doing though?"

"I'm alright. I wish I could've been there dad…I wanted to say goodbye." Jamie said, his voice cracking slightly, making him thankful he was in the privacy of his dorm room and Josh was out drinking somewhere.

"I know you did Jamie. Joe told me you wouldn't be coming home for the funeral on Sunday." His father's tone made Jamie wince. It was understanding, but in a way almost accusing.

"She made me promise dad…I can't betray her. I want to be there so bad." Said Jamie, quick to defend himself.

"I know. Call if you need anything. We'll be in touch. Danny's offered to film the funeral for you so that you could see it."

"Tell him I said thank you. I'll talk to you soon dad." Jamie sat there in silence a few seconds before hanging up the phone. Talking to his dad didn't make things any easier, if anything, he was just confused. Of all things, he didn't need his family upset with him over this right now, he had enough to deal with. That night he had refused to cry, and he had done so for the next few days as well.

After Jamie had peeled himself out of bed, Josh woke up too. His roommate was immediately shocked by the condition Jamie was in, and told him to get back in bed and stay in for the day, that he'd let everyone else know that he wouldn't be joining them. Jamie thanked him and got back into bed. It was the nicest thing he'd ever noticed Josh do, maybe because it was the only nice thing the rich boy had ever done. It didn't take Jamie long to fall asleep, and after tossing and turning all night, he slept for quite a while.

It was 7PM when he finally got out of bed again, after laying awake for another few hours. He was both hungry and thirsty, but didn't feel like going downstairs to get anything, so he got in the bathroom and took a quick shower, which made him feel a little better.

Once he got out, he noticed that his laptop was making a ringing noise. With no clothes on his body, Jamie rushed to the computer and noticed he had an incoming video call form his sister. He answered it and was met with the face of his smiling niece.

"Nik, give me a minute to put some clothes on, I just got out of the shower." Jamie managed to say. His voice was raspy and weak, as his throat still hurt and his nose was all stuffed up.

Once her uncle left the screen, Nicki started examining the surroundings her uncle was in. She couldn't help but notice that his bed was covered in tissues, and enjoyed hearing the quiet pitter patter of rain on the hotel room's window.

When Jamie finally got dressed and pulled his tired body back into bed, he smiled. "Hey."

"Uncle Jamie, are you sick?" Asked the nine year old with concern. At the word sick. Jamie could hear several pairs of footsteps approaching the computer in the background.

"Just a little cold, but I promise I'm fine." Reassured Jamie as his siblings crowded around the webcam.

"Are you sure Jamie? I'm sure Linda could talk to you and see-"

Jamie interrupted Erin. "I'll be fine sis. I um…wanted to ask. How was the funeral?"

"Really nice kid. Joe gave the eulogy, it was really good. Of course it probably would have been you, but you weren't here so you wouldn't know." Said Danny, a bit harsh, earning him a jab in the ribs from Joe.

"It was nice Jamers. And it was all recorded so you'll be able to watch once you get home." Said Joe, who smiled gently.

"Alright. I'm glad. How is everyone? How is dad?"

"As good as can be expected." Said Erin, sighing. Just then there was a knock at the door. Jamie sighed and got out of bed before opening it. It was Spencer, who was holding a large paper bag and a bottle of water.

"Brought you something to eat and drink, heard you were under the weather." Spencer said, holding out the water and the soup.

"Thanks. You can come in. Just talking to my family." Jamie took the bag and bottle and laid back on the bed. Spencer came and sat beside him.

"This is my friend Spencer. Joe you talked to him on the phone the other day."

The rest of the conversation flew by, Spencer leaving once Erin and Danny did, having to go home with their own families. Jamie talked to Joe for almost an entire hour, ignoring the fact that his father seemed to be nowhere nearby. Once the conversation ended and Jamie put away his computer, he lay in silence reflecting on the words they had shared.

It seemed to him that everyone except Joe was upset that he wasn't there. Danny had barely talked to him, and when he did he seemed very harsh, at least to Jamie. After half an hour of sleeping, Jamie did something he hadn't done since his mother passed. He cried.

Author's Note: There you have it. I really hope you liked this chapter and I apologize for it being so late my loves, time got away from me. I'm thinking two more chapters to get this story wrapped up. Let me know what you think about that in the reviews and also what you thought of this chapter.

What's Next: Jamie deals with a major legal case and is introduced to the mysterious girl in the window as he wraps up his trip.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: Howdy friends. This is the second to last chapter in this story and then I will begin another, but I don't know how long it will take to be finished. See, I'm going to Poland in a few weeks for this huge Catholic celebration (shout out next chapter if you can tell me what it is in the reviews) and I will be gone for a while. My new story was inspired by 3x19, if that gives you a hint. I hope you like this chapter, and I shall see you at the bottom of the screen.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters**_

 _ **Tuesday, September 27**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2005**_

The day had finally arrived. After weeks of preparation, it was finally time for Jamie's first real court case. Well, not exactly his, but he was assisting and would be watching the trial take place. After all of the backlash from his mother's death, this was really the first real exciting thing he was getting to do. And it was a very interesting and complicated case.

The defendant had appealed after being found guilty in the magistrate's court. It was a pretty close one to call, as the defendant for the most part only had circumstantial evidence against him, but there was so much and it was so overwhelming one could hardly doubt his guilt.

Nonetheless, he and Potter worked tirelessly to prove his innocence, as he was a defence attorney. And they had finally found the missing link.

The defendant, Robert Metty, had originally claimed that during the armed robbery, which had stolen the lives of two store clerks that he was visiting the woman that he was cheating on his wife with. But the woman would not confirm this, as she was married too and exposing herself would likely end in a divorce and separation from her children.

Four days before the trial, Arnold and Jamie had gone out in the rain to track down this girl, in the hopes that just maybe she could help them out. They found her at the school her children attended, waiting outside to pick them up.

It took a lot of begging and convincing, but after almost ten minutes, they finally convinced the woman, Ariana Johnson, to confirm Metty's alibi under oath, especially after hearing he would likely get a life sentence, so her affair could no longer keep going. They also assured her that they could do this without the knowledge of her husband. This would likely get him off scot free, and what happened beyond that point certainly didn't matter, at least not to them.

The morning of the trial was very nice. A little on the cooler side but certainly not cold at all, at least not to people who are used to freezing weather. The sun was poking through the heavy clouds over Liverpool that morning. Jamie was fascinated with the building for the Crown Court, it was the same age as him and had that dark sense of architecture to it.

As the two entered the courtroom, Arnold showed Jamie where to sit so he could take his notes without being disturbed and without distracting anyone else. The trial was just about to start before he felt someone slide into the seat next to him, notebook in hand. He didn't pay the person much attention, as he was focused on the task at hand.

The trial began a few minutes later with the defendant arriving and being presented. Next the jury was sworn in. Jamie was taking in every single detail, ingraining them into his memory for later use. The whole thing was really fascinating for him, for the first time he could actually see himself up there in a court room, doing the same thing Arnold Potter was doing now.

The prosecution went first, of course presenting the mountain of circumstantial evidence. Jamie could tell that Metty was growing tired of hearing the constant arguing against him. Potter had already presented the prosecution with the testimony from Ariana, so it was clear that they were trying to do everything they could to make sure that their conviction stuck.

After about three hours, the judge called a recess so that everyone could take a lunch break, and that was when Jamie noticed her. The person sitting next to him was the girl from the window, and it appeared that she was taking notes as well.

The two students looked at each other for a moment before exiting the courtroom. Once they were outside, the girl turned to him and smiled. "Hi. I'm Sydney. Sydney Davenport."

"Jamie Reagan." Jamie smiled back. He couldn't help but notice how seemingly perfect she was. Petite, beautiful, and obviously smart, if she could manage to get into the program. "I didn't know you would be here. Potter is the lawyer I'm shadowing. He's the defence attorney."

"That's cool. Mine already had a case. A prosecutor. Guess I wanted to see how both sides of the spectrum worked." Said Sydney, who had slung her bag over her shoulder. Potter then approached the two students.

"Reagan. Judge Schmidt says that we'll be going after recess is over at 2, so be prepared and make sure you listen. I didn't train you for nothing. The trial won't finish today, we'll probably resume tomorrow morning and then the jury will go out. It could be until afternoon before we have a verdict. Unfortunately, if he's found guilty, the sentence won't come out until after you're gone, but I'll make sure to keep you informed."

"Thank you. Arnold this is one of my fellow students Sydney, she was interested in seeing how the defence side worked." Said Jamie, introducing the two.

"Well it's nice to meet you Sydney. And I'd be glad to have you help us." Sydney and Potter shook hands.

Over lunch, the three ate together and discussed the basics of the case. Jamie found it admirable how interested Sydney was, as well as how well she conducted herself. She was polite yet firm, and seemed to be a hard worker.

For the rest of the afternoon, the case continued with both Jamie and Sydney sitting in the back of the room, taking notes and examining how the case went. At the end of the day they decided to go out for dinner. Jamie's phone rang right after they ordered.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jamers, how'd your day go?" Asked a seemingly perky Joe.

"It was nice Joe, the trial is expected to wrap up tomorrow." Said Jamie, slightly annoyed at being interrupted.

"I'm glad. Just a little under a week and I can see you again."

Sydney stood up and tried to say something. "Just a minute Syd. Joe I really have to go okay?"

"Ooo are you with a girl? Wait until the rest of the family hears about this. Bye little brother! Call if you need anything." And with that, Joe hung up.

Jamie rolled his eyes. "Sorry Sydney. That was my brother."

"It's alright. I just wanted to let you know that I need to use the ladies room."

"Oh, not a problem. I'll be here when you get back." Jamie said, flashing a smile as she left. He remembered his family talking about meeting a girl while he was over here. God they would definitely get a kick out of this.

The rest of the dinner went really well, as Jamie enjoyed getting to know Sydney a bit better. He happened to notice that her family was ample in funds, but to Jamie, she didn't seem selfish or greedy. In fact, most of what he noticed that night was how she looked. He knew it was wrong of him, but he backed himself up mentally by claiming that she had a nice personality as well, which she did. The only thing that just slightly bothered him was the fact that she wasn't too keen on cop families, but he could get over that.

By the time he got back to his hotel, it was pretty late and he had had a bit too much to drink, so he just changed and collapsed into bed, but not without setting his alarm for the next morning.

xxBBxx

The next morning came all too easily. When his alarm started beeping and he opened his eyes, Jamie immediately felt the headache and realized that by no means would this be an easy day. He managed to peel himself out of bed and take a shower to get ready for the day. Fortunately, there wasn't too much that he had to do other than pay attention, much like a normal school, and he had felt a lot worse in classes before- AKA after pulling all-nighters studying or doing assignments.

Once he got ready, he immediately made his way to the courthouse, where Sydney was already standing outside.

"Good morning Jamie." She said gently.

"Morning. Did you sleep well?" Asked Jamie.

"Yeah, although I wish I had a bit more of it."

"I feel the same way. Can't say I haven't felt worse before though." Jamie chuckled.

The two decided to exchange their contact information and go inside to sit down. They were both carrying notebooks are more than one pen in case one ran out. Both prepared. Both smart.

As the trial continued, Jamie felt himself immersed back into his lawyer brain. Potter finished up his case for the defence first, and then both sides presented their closing statements. Jamie took notes on every small detail, how they stood, and voice inflections. Everything was important to him if he wanted to become successful. He noticed that his sister used many of the same techniques, and therefore intended to discuss his observations with her once he got back.

It was around 1:30 when the jury was sent out to discuss the case and come up with a verdict. All they could do was wait in anticipation. Potter looked very confident, after shooting down many of the prosecution's points with the new evidence.

The icing on the cake was seeing Ariana Johnson give her testimony and watching the prosecuting attorney shrink into his seat, who ended up not even cross-examining her. Jamie was greatly inspired by Potter. And there, sitting in this freezing cold courtroom, he made his decision. He was going to be a defence attorney.

He knew his family wouldn't like it, and that at some point he may even have to go up against his sister, but he knew that in the end he would still have their support, and that made it all the better.

After forty-five minutes of waiting, the jury finally came back with a verdict. Based on stories he had heard from his sister, Jamie thought that it was a rather quick decision, as she had experienced some long waiting experiences in the past.

Jamie hardly noticed that Sydney was tightly gripping onto his forearm, just as anxious as he was to hear the verdict. He could see Arnold tense up slightly in the front, so he closed his eyes.

"How does the jury rule?" Asked the judge.

A man stepped forward. "The jury finds the defendant not guilty."

Jamie and Sydney both let out the breath they had been holding, and she quickly let go of his arm, and it was impossible for him not to notice that her cheeks turned pink.

xxBBxx

After the trial had finished, Jamie had promised Arnold Potter that he would stay in touch so that he could check in and see how his favorite intern was doing. The two then parted ways and Jamie was left to his own devices.

With the exception of the events on the 2nd, their last day in Liverpool, he was free to do whatever he wanted until the end of the trip. On that last day before they left they were all getting together for a conference with some guest speakers to discuss what they had learned and where to go from there.

So Jamie smiled and called up his new friend Spencer so he could enjoy the rest of his experience.

 _ **Author's Note: One chapter left! We're almost there guys. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I hope you guys keep reading**_ __ _ **. Please review guys, I appreciate it so much!**_

 _ **Up Next: Jamie wraps up his trip and finally returns home after a month of being away from his family. But is it all sunshine and daisies? You'll have to wait to find out.**_


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Here we are at the final chapter. I can't thank you guys enough for all the love you guys have shown. I am happy to announce that my next multi-chapter story is entitled "Breathe." Now I won't be posting this right away, since I leave for Poland on Saturday and will be gone for two weeks, but I will post at least one one-shot at some point during the week to hold you guys off until I'm back. This journey ends here. I hope you enjoy this chapter, please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters

Sunday, October 2nd, 2005

"And what time do you land? In New York time I mean." Asked Frank, talking to his youngest over the telephone.

"At approximately 1:27 in the afternoon. But really, you guys don't have to pick me up, I'm sure I can get a cab or something." Said Jamie as he was packing up his suitcase.

"Nonsense. Someone will be there and bring you to the house. Everyone's agreed to come over for an extra family dinner tomorrow to catch up and hear all about your trip. Everyone is super excited to see you, especially the kids. Erin said Nicky hasn't stopped talking about it all week."

"Alright dad. I'll call before we take off over here. I'll see you tomorrow dad."

"See you tomorrow son. I love you." Said Frank.

"I love you too dad." Jamie was the first to hang up.

Frank had to admit that he had missed his son greatly, despite his underlying anger, though it was understood. He almost told himself that he hated his youngest for not coming home to bury his mother, but realized that he had made a promise to her that was supposedly extremely hard to keep. Frank did the same for his wife, her last wish to him being to keep Jamie out of the family business. Realistically, Frank knew that this was Jamie's decision, but he would do his best to keep his late wife happy, no matter how terrible it was.

The month of his son's absence passed by slower than he wished it did, with Mary's death coming so suddenly right in the middle of it. Frank missed the smiling face of his youngest son, who when he was little could never fail in making your troubles disappear for at least a few minutes, unless of course he was the one causing trouble.

xxBBxx

After hanging up with his father, Jamie got back to work packing. He of course, has been incredibly neat with his things when he first got there, making sure he wouldn't lose anything and wouldn't have to rush to pack the day before he left.

Unfortunately a certain roommate of his decided that mixing all of their things in a big mess was a smart decision, so Jamie had to sort through everything and find what belonged to who. As much as he loved being in Liverpool, he was ready to go home.

The month had passed quickly for him, and he had two whole notebooks full of notes and everything he learned, as well as a camera full of pictures. He had spent the last few days after the trial ended sightseeing everything he didn't quite have time for before then. He had mostly spent these days with Spencer and Sydney, both of whom he was starting to get to know pretty well. It was the day before this one when Syd had finally asked about what she saw through that window.

They had just left the Liverpool Empire Theatre after seeing a show and Spencer had gone to find a bathroom, so the two had been left sitting on a bench. It was a moment before she said anything.

"What was it that happened at that restaurant? I thought you were going to pass out. I was watching you and was worried. That's why I chose your trial to sit in on." Said Sydney suddenly.

"Oh I uh…my mom had just passed. They were calling to let me know. And I saw you through the window." Responded Jamie, looking down at the ground.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry Jamie."

"It's okay, no hard feelings."

Spencer had come back from the men's room just after that, cutting off their conversation. Jamie was glad that Sydney hadn't said anything about him not going home, as he had already gotten enough of those comments, which led him to his other reason for packing so late in the game.

He was afraid.

Of quite a few things, rejection, snakes, you name it. But this time? Going home. It sounded silly, but he knew that besides Joe, his family wasn't the most understanding of his reasons for staying in Europe, and he knew that those feelings wouldn't have disappeared within a couple of weeks. He just hoped that he'd be able to make it through this dinner with his family, and they'd be distracted by the happiness that he was back. If they were happy that is.

Panic started to set in and that certainly didn't make things any easier, so he stopped packing and went to his hotel window to think. "My family loves me. My family misses me. I need my family and my family needs me." After repeating those words a few times and taking a deep breath, Jamie felt much better, and resumed packing.

His flight left Liverpool at 9:43(Liverpool time) the next morning, so he had to go to bed early to be at the airport by 8 for security. He had already promised Spencer and Sydney that he would stay in touch, and he hoped deeply that he and Sydney would stay really close.

Eventually Jamie finished sorting and packing, so he put his things he'd need for the next day next to his bed before setting an alarm and going to sleep.

xxBBxx

Monday, October 3rd, 2005

Jamie had been staring out the window of the airplane for what felt like hours, but in reality was only about thirty minutes. His flight had been slightly delayed due to some bad weather, and he was beyond frustrated. To make matters worse, he was sitting next to an upset baby and its mother, ruining any hope Jamie had of catching a nap.

A severe storm had ripped through the city last night, throwing any chance of sleeping out the window, causing him to get up an entire hour before his alarm rang. Somehow Josh had managed to sleep soundly through the night.

Jamie had dragged himself through the morning and made it to the airport with the rest of his group. Many of them had been on their phones, calling to let family members know that they would be late, which he had tried as well, but somehow nobody picked up their phone, He assumed they were all working, so he just left messages.

Finally, the sky started to clear out the residue from the terrifying force of nature from the night before, and the plane was able to take off at around 10:30, meaning they would only be an hour late.

Unfortunately, Jamie was right. No sleep for him. He looked over at Spencer who was in the aisle across from him and gave his friend an annoyed smile. Spencer returned it and yawned, putting his fingers in his ears.

Jamie laughed slightly and rested his head against the window, looking down at the Atlantic Ocean below them.

The plane landed around 2:30 and he was forever grateful. The baby had been noisy almost the entire time, and Jamie felt like the walking dead. He hoped that seeing his family would cheer him up or that they would let him take a nap after hearing the story of his day.

Jamie was one of the last people off the plane and gave hugs to both Spencer and Sydney before saying goodbye. He then went to get his luggage and heard the unmistakeable voice of his niece.

"Uncle Jamie!" Jamie turned seeing the little girl charging straight for him, jumping up and wrapping both her arms and legs around him tightly, causing him to stumble backwards a little bit.

"Well I missed you too Nik." Jamie chuckled, giving her a kiss on the head, seeing his sister approach over the little one's head.

"Sorry Jamie. I told her not to run." Said Erin, helping her brother with his luggage.

"It's fine, really." Jamie eventually managed to get Nicky to let go, but she stayed right by his side. Erin kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly.

"I missed you little brother." She said.

"Missed you too sis. So how is everyone? I haven't talked to Danny and Linda or you in a while. How is Jack?"

"Everyone is okay, pretty busy with work you know? Jack and Sean and this one are getting bigger by the day." Said Erin, walking with him to the car.

"That's good. I've missed everyone so much you know? Especially with mom. Are you guys mad at me?"

"Danny is, a little bit. But he loves you Jamie you know that. Dad and Pops aren't so much as mad as disappointed and upset, but they love you too. In fact, Pops was so excited for today he's making all of your favorites."

The family conversation continued until they got to the car. Nicky refused to be separated from her uncle, so Jamie sat in the backseat with her while Erin drove to his father's house. After so long the city brought him great joy, he missed the sights and the sounds and the smells.

Driving up to his father's house it looked like everyone was already there. He could see his older nephew's face in the window as they pulled into the driveway, which disappeared and immediately came to open the door.

As Jamie stepped out of the car, Jack ran to him, followed by a toddling Sean. He picked them both up and hugged them tightly.

"I missed you little rascals you know that. I couldn't find any cute kids to spoil, which means I got to buy things all for you."

"Little brother!" All of a sudden he was attacked by a body he recognized as Joe's, who started ruffling his hair after hugging him tightly.

"I missed you guys too, but now I'm having a little bit of trouble breathing." Said Jamie, happy to be back with his family.

Joe helped him carry his luggage inside where he was immediately hugged by his grandfather, followed by a shorter one from his father.

Danny, Linda and Jack Boyle made their way from the kitchen and offered their greetings as well, Linda of course giving him a big hug. And then he was flanked by the questions.

"What was it like?"

"Did you meet any girls?"

"What did you learn?"

"Did you have fun?"

"Did you make any friends?"

And suddenly Jamie felt overwhelmed so he sat down on the couch. "Chill guys. And…cool, maybe, a lot, yes, and yes." He said, answering their questions in order.

Jamie then opened his suitcase and found a bag, in which held gifts he had gotten for everyone while he was gone. Finally everyone relaxed from the excitement of him being home and asked real questions.

"What did you do?" Asked Jack, who was more than happy to be gaining another lawyer in this family.

"I had fun. I got to sit in in some law lectures at their college, and I got to shadow a lawyer and work with him on the case before watching the trial. I have two notebooks full of notes and stuff." Said Jamie. Erin her husband were obviously the most interested, but everyone else, except Danny, seemed eager to hear about it as well.

"So Jamers, I have a question. Who is Sydney?" Asked Joe, wiggling his eyebrows.

Jamie's face turned instantly red. "Uh, she's a friend. She sat in on the same trial as me. I was eating with her and my new friend Spencer when you called."

"Interesting. Is she pretty?" Asked Erin.

"I guess, yeah."

"Nice job kid." Said Danny.

xxBBxx

After a delicious dinner of all of Jamie's favorites, he was beyond the capacity of his stomach, but at this point he didn't care. It was nice to have dinner with his family again, although he couldn't help but feel the absence of his mother, especially after seeing her chair in the corner of the room.

His family had all become silent after his lawyer was asked about, and only Jack Boyle was excited after Jamie revealed that his mentor and now friend was a defines attorney.

Jamie managed to pull Joe aside after Danny and his family had left.

"Are you busy? Like, do you have to be anywhere tonight?" Jamie had asked.

"No, not really, why?"

"I uh, would you take me to go visit mom?"

Joe's face fell instantly. "Of course kid, not a problem."

Jamie had been happy to go, he wanted to talk to his mother and make sure that she knew he still loved him, even though he wasn't there when she needed him the most. Then why was he afraid to get out of Joe's car right now? Maybe it was the fears he had the night before, or maybe it was the tiredness getting to him, as he would be asleep already if he was still in Liverpool.

"Go talk to her Jamie, she won't bite." Said Joe jokingly.

Jamie smiled and managed to get out of the car and walk over to their family plots, where he found his mother's headstone with some beautiful flowers in front of it.

"Hey mom." He started. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. You were always there for me. I hope you're doing well up there with grandma. I miss you. Everyone misses you, and I wish I was there. I wish I had never left. I wanted you to know that I'm sorry, for not coming home. And that I love you still and always will. Thank you for everything." Jamie kissed his hand before touching it to the headstone.

Joe slowly put an arm around his brother. "I'm glad you're home kid."

Jamie smiled and looked over at him. "Me too."

His experience had been great, but he was so glad. He was finally home.

THE END

Author's Note: Yay! We made it to the end of this story, I really hope you guys enjoyed it. If you have any ideas for one-shots that you'd like to see me write before I start posting the next story, just let me know! I'll be glad to go for your suggestions. Please please PLEASE review, and as always, I'll see you next time my lovelies.


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